Russian forces are buying up Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite units from Arab countries in a bid to circumvent western sanctions, Ukraine intelligence claims
The Elon Musk-owned service has been vital to Kyiv ‘s battlefield communications, but Ukrainian officials have said Russian forces are also increasingly relying on it.
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Russian forces are buying Starlink satellite internet terminals in ‘Arab countries’ for use on the battlefield for a little over $2,000 each, Ukraine’s military spy agency said.
The Elon Musk-owned service has been vital to Kyiv‘s battlefield communications, but Ukrainian officials have said Russian forces are also increasingly relying on it during their nearly two-year-old invasion.
The defense ministry’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) released what it said was an audio intercept of two Russian soldiers discussing buying units from Arab providers for around 200,000 rubles, the equivalent of $2,200, each.
‘The aggressor state Russia is purchasing communications equipment, including Starlink satellite Internet terminals, for use in the war in Arab countries,’ the ministry said on Telegram.
On Monday, GUR spokesman Andriy Yusov told Reuters that Russian forces were purchasing the terminals through unspecified third countries.
Russian agents are reportedly using ‘intermediaries’ in Dubai in order to get their hands on the terminals.
An audio clip released by Ukrainian intelligence purportedly shows two Russian soldiers talking about getting their hands on the terminals.
The Elon Musk-owned service has been vital to Kyiv ‘s battlefield communications, but Ukrainian officials have said Russian forces are also increasingly relying on it during their nearly two-year-old invasion
Ukrainian servicemen check their tank after a maintenance not far from Bakhmut in the Donetsk region on February 5
Musk has said that there has been no official sales between his company and Russian forces
‘Let me order you a Starlink? And you will have a f*****g good connection. Dude, you need a Starlink.’
The quoted price 200,000 roubles. One soldier references someone named Oboz who can get their hands on the terminals. ‘The Arabs bring everything to us: Wires, wifi, routers,’ he says.
Starlink has said it does not do business with Russia or operate on Russian territory. The Kremlin said the terminals were neither certified for use in, nor officially supplied to, Russia, and therefore could not be used.
Kyiv said on Sunday that the SpaceX communications device was being used by Russian troops in its invasion of Ukraine, with military intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov calling the problem ‘systemic.’
He said: ‘Cases of use of these devices by Russian occupiers have been recorded. This is beginning to become systemic.’
But Russia’s 83rd Guards Air Assault Brigade are among those using the service, around the Klishchiivka and Andriivka battlefields, says the Ukrainian GUR military intelligence agency.
A Ukrainian soldier setting up Starlink satellite equipment
Some believe that Russian forces have been able to ‘spoof’ Starlink terminals, making it appear to be operating in authorized regions
Some believe that Russian forces have been able to ‘spoof’ Starlink terminals, making it appear to be operating in a
uthorized regions.
Others theorize that Russian soldiers may have stolen terminals from Ukrainian areas that are in authorize regions, but have since been taken over by invading forces.
Until now the system has operated in Ukraine, except Crimea, as Musk wanted to stop Kyiv targeting Russian warships, and use the terminals for humanitarian instead of military purposes.
Musk was praised by dictator Putin this week.
The US tech tycoon called for an end to US economic support for Ukraine during the war with Russia.
Musk declared: ‘It is time to stop the meat grinder…it should have been done a year ago.’
SpaceX said it ‘does not do business of any kind with the Russian Government or its military’.
The company said: ‘Starlink is not active in Russia, meaning service will not work in that country.
‘SpaceX has never sold or marketed Starlink in Russia, nor has it shipped equipment to locations in Russia.’
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